Safety switch box



July 1 1924. 1,499,996

F. R. OBERLANDER SAFETY SWITCH BOX Filed March 7. 1921 2 Sheets-Shee 1 2 29 ,12 FO /K .v Z4 9 9 3140914 for,

Jew? $5M W Mn 9 July 1 1924, 1,499,996

F. R. OBERLANDER SAFETY SWITCH BOX Fil ed March 7. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet. 2

I, H 34 Miami! -Hlh $19- dented July 1, 1924.

Mrs!) STATES FELIX REID OBEBLAII'DEB, OF SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH.

mm: swrrcn 30:.

Application filed larch 7, 1921. Serial 10. 450,457.

To all whom it ma concern:

Be it known t at I, Fnux REID Onen- LANDER, a citizen of the United States, residin at Salt Lake City, in the county of Salt ake and State of Utah, have invented Certain new and useful Improvements in Safety Switch Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

' This invention relates to safety switch boxes whose purpose is to protect persons opening or closing an electric switch or inserting or removing the fuse thereof against accidental contact with live arts or terminals and from being burned y the flash or are when operating the switch as well as to prevent tampering with the circuits.

It has been proposed heretofore to provide switch boxes of different kinds which will embody the safety features above enumerated but these earlier constructions have, so far as I am aware, been of a complicated and expensive nature, liable to derangement, and unsatisfactory for one reason or another. Furthermore, earlier constructions have had as no provision for the-protection of a knife switch previously installed but, on the contrary, have been wholly self-contained and manufactured in unitary form so that it was necessary to do away with a switch already so in use.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a safety switch box which can be made to inclose a knife switch and fuse already installed, thereby changing an unus safe switch. into a protected installation from which it is impossible for a workman or operator to accidentally come in contact with live parts or terminals either in opening or closing the switch or'inserting or re- 40 moving a fuse. In that respect, the invention embodies a novel construction and combination of inclosing box of suitable material, switch operating door and door for affordin access to the'fuse, the aforesaid 4e doors being rovided with improved inter locks and sa ety appliances, the whole constituting a self-contained safety switch box which can be applied to high voltage" and high amperage switches.

A further object is to provide a novel safe switch box and switch operating door held y a latch and automatically opened by spring means, the door being adapted for connection to a knife switch so'that the latu terwillbeopenedorclosedaccordingtothe that the disclosure of the invention, although operation of the door. It is possible to emp oy this feature of my invention without resorting to that other novel feature which resldes 1n the provision of the door for affordmg access to the fuse, inasmuch as my improvements ma be used in connection with a knife switc having no fuse, or, with one provided with a fuse.

Another object is the provision of a novel safety switch box having compartments for a knife switch and its fuse, the respective compartments being provided with doors which have improved interlocking and blockin arrangements to effectuate the purposes o the invention, the switch compartment door being connected to the switch and preferably opened by a spring, when said door is unlatched; the door for the fuse compartment of the box being arranged so. that its 0 ration is dependent on the position of the cor cont-rollin the switch, thus rendering itimpossible fir the operator to insert or remove a fuse when the door controlling the switch is in closed osition.

I am aware that mo lfications may be resorted to in carrying out the improvements hereinbefore expressed, without departing from the essential principles of the invention and it is to be understood, therefore,

given in its preferred form, is illustrative and not restrictive of construction which may be resorted to.

n the accompanying drawings:

Fi 1 is a vertical section, the switch door in shown in full lines in open position and in dotted lines in closed position, and the fuse door in full lines in closed position and in dotted lines in open sition; Fi 2, is a front'elevation, both oors bein% own in closed position;

ig. 3, is a rear view of the fuse door; gig. 4, is a rear view of the switch door; an

Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8, detail views of certain parts.

The box or casing 1 may be of iron, steel, transits, asbestos or bakelite micarta, or any other suitable material, and it is provided with ears 2 by which it can be fastened to the wall so as to inclose the knife switch 3 which, asshown, has a removable fuse 4, the base of the switch appearing at 5.

The door for the switch compartment 6 appears at 7, said door having a front prous Vided with asuitable handle or knob 8 and sides which appear at 9 through which asses a bolt 10 that pivots or hinges the oor to the side walls of the box 1. The

rear edges of the sides 9 have shoulders 11 which rest against the base 5 when the door is closed. The upper edge of one of the vsides 9 is provided with a socket or keeper 12 to receive a vertically slidable latch 13 which moves in a loop ld fastened to the inside of the ledge 15 at the upper front part of the box 1. The latch 13, when rea cam face which, when the push button 23ontheside9an immediately the push button 16 is released.

is pressed in, raises" the latch 13. When the push button is released, the actuatingspring 21 thereof snaps it outwardly and the latch 13 then falls- Consequently, if the door 7 is latched and the push button 16 ressed, the door will be instantly opened By a suitable spring 22 which cooperates with the door and with the base 5. To arrest the door 7 when thus opened by spring 22, there is provided sing or stop as the latch 13 drops by the operator, said latch is struck by the stop 23 and the door is retained in open posit-ion. 7 7

The knife switch 3 is connected to the door 7 in any suitable manner as, for instance, by one or more links24 and, consequently, the switch isjo ened or closed according to the osition d the door 7 When tion with switches carrying currents'of voltage and ampere e the tubulartype an vised the additional improvements which ootouched when the switch is the door 7 is c osed the switch is necessarily closed but when the door is open it is impossible for the switch to remain closed and,

consequently, the. operator cannot accidena tally receive a shock or come in contact with live parts or terminals. he foregoing part of my invention atfords com let'e protection for the operator in' so'far as t e switch is .concerned-andl wishit understood that theconstruction described is capable of useaside frcm the door for the fuse compartment hereinafter set forth as some switches have no'fuses and the instruction recited.

My invention finds usefulness in conhnecl; whlch have fuses of I have therefore devention may-thus be embodied in'the conoperate with the switch door to the end that neither the switch nor the fuse; can be closed. p Y

For the purpose of closing the compart- 1 the door 26, cannot 'the switch to be open before th neeaeec ment 25 which contains the is rovided a door 26 hin ed at 27 and providbd with a suitable kno or handle 28 by which it may be manipulated. This door carries a vertically arrangedbracket 29 in which is slidably mounted a lockout plunger 30 which is forced upwardly by a spring 31 so that its upper end projects above thefuses 4, there bracket.

it is then imposfor the reason that the hook36 interlocks with the plate 33 and blocks 0 enin of door 26. When, however, the cor 7 is opened, thereby opening the switch 3, the rearward movement of t einterlocking hook 36 disengages it from the plate 33, leaving the door 26 free to be "open. Consequently if the two doors 7 and 26 are closed as when the switch is closed, it is impossible to have access to'the fuses until the switch 3 has first'been opened. by opening the door 7. This guards against placing or removal of the fuses when the switch is closed.

The side piece 9 is provided with anotch or shoulder 37 which forms a step, abut ment, or connection between the rounded parts of the lower edge of said side 9. The

end of the look-out such an extent that i will'be impossible to plunger'30 projects to the door 7 1s closed it close the door 26 because the plunger will then come squarely against the shoulder 37 and the 010s movement W111 be arrested. Should the o crater close the switch first, the fuse w lch is carried by a clip on the inside 0 be inserted in the fuse with the door 7 closed, door 26 cannot be closed and, hence, the fuse carried by the door 26 cannot make contact with the fuse clips. It is necessary for efuse can clips because,

be-lplaced in position. I I y employing the spring 22, when the button 16 is pressed, the said spring opens the door and switch with a quick break action which minimizes flashing. I l What I claim is: 1. In a safety switch box having a switc chamber, the combination with a switch it? said chamber, ofa movable closure for said chamber operatively connected to the switch and adapted for actuatin said switch and for affording access to e switch of another closure afiording access to fuses for". the switch, and interlocking devices whereby the opening and closing of the second closure is controlled by the position of the first closure. v

2. In a safety switch box, the combina tionwith a movable closure adapted for actuating and for affording access to the switch, of another closure affording access to the fuses for the switch, and interlocking devices whereby the opening and closing of the second closure is controlled by the position of the first closure, said box being adapted to beapplied to apreviously inwhich are arranged to engage so as to lock the last named closure when the first named closure is closed and to permit operation of the last named closure when the first named closure is open.

fl; In a safety switch box having a switch chamber, the combination with a switch in said chamber, of a movable closure for said chamber operatively connected to the switch and adapted for actuating said switch and for affording access to the switch, of another closure affording access to the fuses for the switch, interlocking devices carried by the respective closures which prevent opening ofxthe last named closure-when the first named closure is closed, and a blocking de- .Vice carriedby the last named closure which is adapted to cooperate with the first named closure to prevent closing of the last named closure when the first named closure is closed.

5. In a safety switch box, the combination I with a movable closure adapted for actuat ing and for affording access to the switch, of another closure affording access to the fuses for the switch, a hook andkeeper whose parts are carried by the respective closures which constitute an interlocking connection therebetween permitting the opening and closing of the first'named closure but preventing the opening of the last named closure when the first named closure is closed, and a blocking device comprisin a sprin actuated plunger carried 'by the Iast name closure which is adapted to engage" means carried by the first named closure to thereby prevent the last named closure from beingclosed when said first named closure is in closed position.

6. In a safety switch box thecombinat-ion with a switch box, of a hinged closure therefor having means for operating the switch, a latch for holding said closure in closed position and for retaining it in open position, a push button for operating said latch, and sprin means for opening said closure when the %atch is released by pressing the push button.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

FELIX REID OBERLANDER. 

